The present invention relates generally to remote intelligent communications devices, and more particularly relates to associated devices and methods of operation thereof for remotely monitoring particular physical parameter(s) individually, or collectively, at a remote location.
Radio frequency (RF) identification devices are available for identifying select animate, or inanimate, objects in accordance with unique identification codes. As a part of a remote monitoring system, an interrogator interrogates select RF identification devices, by way of an RF communications medium, and determines the presence of associated identified devices.
Integrity of the remote monitoring system depends largely upon the quality of the communication link between the interrogator and the RF identification devices. Various factors can influence this link, including: power levels of the signals propagated from the respective interrogator and identification devices, presence or absence of RF blocking obstacles between the interrogator and identification devices, distance between the interrogator and the identification devices, in addition to a presence or absence of interfering RF signals within the communication channel of the RF communications link. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a remote monitoring device and system capable of providing continued communication capabilities when one, or more, of the above factors would otherwise degrade the integrity of the communications link.
Typically, the RF identification device is associated with an object (animate or inanimate) and provides simple identification thereof, with perhaps additional previously programmed information about the device--such as contents, desired destination, ownership, etc. However, in addition to providing such previously programmed information, it would be desirable to monitor a select attribute of the object and to record data regarding the select attribute over time. Additionally, it would be desirable to monitor and record a plurality of attributes regarding the object, so that thereafter, data regarding the particular attributes may be retrieved and analyzed for correlating one attribute with another separate attribute.